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Self-Observation Techniques

Creating a Peaceful New World - by Dean Van Leuven. Dean is a psychologist, conducts workshops and is the author of A Peaceful New World and many other books dealing with quality of life issues. Contact him on the web at: www.DeanOfPeace.com

Was your response appropriate for you in the present situation - or did you simply go into onto "automatic pilot" and use a response that you had used in the past?

For instance wouldn't it be better to leave the dishes on table or put them into the sink yourself than to get mad at your mate for not doing it?

Wouldn't it have gone better with the boss if you had said to him/her that you would like to help but had already made other plans that were too important to be changed?

Perception is not a fact. It is a mirror of our thoughts. No two people see the world the same. Learn to observe yourself to find out how you see the world.

Try to see how your problems overlap each other and are interrelated to your other problems as well as the problems of others.

Try to see how your way of looking at things always agrees with your entrenched beliefs. Try to see how the way you think causes problems for you.

Especially pay attention to how you are feeling.
"Emotional awareness" is being aware of what feelings are actually occurring in your body. Try to be more aware of your emotions and note how they make you feel. See if your responses are in line with the way you think and act when you are not feeling the emotion. Just the act of observing your emotions can take away some of the emotional charge.

Tips for Peaceful and Joyful Living

Monday: I learn to take a moment to think and make a conscious choice before I respond.

Tuesday: I look at my responses to see if the response I have chosen is the best possible choice.

Wednesday: Today I examine why I sometimes become upset by the action of other people.

Thursday: I examine other ways of thinking about the things that upset me.

Friday: I pay attention to the way I feel when I become upset. I examine the thoughts that result while I am upset.

Saturday: I notice how much better I feel when I examine the reasons for my upset.

Sunday: I resolve to immediately remove each thing that upsets me from my thoughts.